


Feathers

by Tatjna



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-19
Updated: 2013-09-19
Packaged: 2017-12-27 01:01:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/972470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tatjna/pseuds/Tatjna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>15 year old Anders has a reason to like feathers.  Short and speculative.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Feathers

Anders has never been on top of the Tower before, and he's a little afraid. The wind threatens to push him off and when he looks up at the moving clouds it feels as though the whole Tower might tumble over into the lake far below. Involuntarily he takes a step backwards.

Wynne grasps his arm to steady him. The bird he's holding hisses and strikes at her, scimitar beak snapping air as she pulls away quickly, smiling. She steps toward the edge, unafraid, and he follows reluctantly.

"I've always loved the view from up here," she says. "On a fine day you can see all the way to Redcliffe."

Redcliffe. Another mythical town that he will never get to see. Resentment seethes but Anders keeps his face carefully neutral. If Wynne notices the sudden tension in his shoulders, she doesn't mention it. Standing side by side he is almost as tall as her now. This will be his third winter locked up here and this is only the second time he's been outside. The others like the stone walls, say it makes them feel safe, but all he feels is their weight pressing in on him, slowly crushing him, making him feel tiny and helpless against their power. Anger surges again and he swallows it, hearing Wynne's voice in his mind: "A good healer always controls his emotions." He wants to be a good healer.

She looks at him now, face lined with concern, but her voice is light when she speaks. "It's time to let our friend go."

He steps up to the parapet, fighting down vertigo, and lifts the hawk. Talons scrabble for purchase and Anders stands back as the wings arch upwards, steadying the bird in its balance on the stone railing. Yellow eyes swivel to meet his own, and he shivers as the bird seems to look into his soul. Then the moment is gone in a flurry of wings, the talons lift from the parapet and the bird hovers, spreading its wings fully for the first time as it turns to slide across the wind and disappear below the edge of the wall.

Anders leans forward, fear forgotten, eyes following the hawk. It heads straight across the lake away from the Tower, and he watches it until it disappears into the haze that hangs over the mountains. He wishes he could fly too, fly away from stone walls and fear and judgement and the Templars watching, always watching..

"You have done a fine job with that bird." Wynne breaks into his reverie. "The First Enchanter has given permission for you to study Creation full time if you wish."

He meets her eyes for the first time, trying to hide a small smile that wants to spread across his face and failing. He knows he is too young, but he had hoped..

"Thank you."

As they turn to go, her eyes flick to the side and she picks something up from the ground below the parapet and hands it to him - a feather from the hawk's wing, shining golden in the late afternoon sunlight. He thinks again of the bird flying free across the lake and away.

The smile as he tucks the feather into his robe is genuine.


End file.
